The following is a collection of answers to commonly asked questions. Additional resources are available on our website in numerous forms, guidance documents, and procedures & policies.
If you require further assistance, please view our contact list to direct your question to the appropriate email address or staff member.
Claims Administration
A CRC is a panel of three medical doctors that review Great-West Life’s (GWL) decision to deny or terminate a Long Term Disability (LTD) claim. They review the medical and vocational information used by GWL to determine whether or not the claimant is disabled, within the definition of disability contained in the Collective Agreement, and provide a decision in writing to the Trust.
The Long Term Disability CRC is be composed of three (3) medical doctors: one designated by the employee, one designated by the employer and the third (the Chairperson) to be mutually agreed upon and designated by the first two doctors. For BCNU members, the CRC will be comprised of three independent and qualified medical doctors.
The CRC’s decision is final and binding on all medical matters. However, claimants who are dissatisfied with the decision of the CRC on matters of interpretation may appeal that decision to the Labour Relations Board (under Section 99 of the Labour Relations Code).
Early Retirement Incentive Benefit (ERIB)
Eligible employees are those who are:
- over age 55 (but under 63.5)
- in receipt of LTD for more than 4 years, and not eligible for a Rehabilitation program
In order to be eligible, employees must have made sufficient contributions to the Pension Program.
Enrolment
You may contact the enrolment team at 604-678-6449 or toll free at 1-877-678-6449. Or you may email them at enrolment@hbt.ca
Finance
Group Benefits
Health care: The effective dates of coverage for unionized employees are dictated by the collective agreements and can be found in Section XII-H, Pages 2 – 6 of the Administration Manual.
CSSEA: The effective date of coverage for employees covered under the provincial agreements is the first of the month following the 3 month probationary period.
Effective dates of coverage for non-contract or management staff are determined by the employer’s policies and procedures.
At the time the leave commences it is important that you advise the employee of the option to purchase Benefits during the leave. You must also obtain the election in writing and keep the election form on file.
Health care: See Section XII, Pages 26-33 of the Administration Manual.
Rehabilitation Services
The Release of Information Authorization Form completed by the employee, permits the designated representative of the employee’s union to represent the employee or otherwise discharge its duties.
You may wish to involve your union representative during the development of your Rehabilitation Plan. In most cases a union representative is present at your return to work meeting and is available to assist you if you need to appeal an LTD claims decision.
The union contacts below can provide you with your servicing representative contact information:
- Hospital Employees’ Union Provincial Office: 604-438-5000 or 1-800-663-5813
- British Columbia Nurses’ Union: 604-433-2268 or 1-800-663-9991
- Health Sciences Association of British Columbia: 604-439-0994 or 1-800-663-2017
- BC Government Employees’ Union: 604-291-9611 or 1-800-663-1674
HBT provides Rehabilitation Services and administers a Long Term Disability Plan. To administer programs in respect of an individual experiencing a work disability, HBT needs to be able to collect, use and disclose the individual’s personal Information and diagnostic medical Information. HBT exchanges this information with its agents including Great-West Life Assurance (GWL), as well as health care providers, other service providers, persons authorized within your employer’s organization to respond to work disabilities and designated representatives of your union/bargaining association as is reasonably necessary to achieve one or more of the purposes identified below:
- help you manage your work disability if you are at work
- if you are absent from work, confirm the anticipated duration of your leave and assist your employer to manage your absence from work
- determine the type of work that is suitable given your functional limitations
- determine if medical or vocational rehabilitation would benefit you and your ability to return to gainful employment
- permit a collaboration among HBT, its agents including GWL, as well as persons authorized within your employer’s organization to respond to work disabilities, designated representatives of your union/bargaining association, health care providers and other service providers in order to deliver rehabilitation services
- if you make a claim for Benefits from the Long Term Disability Plan (for which you will complete an additional authorization form), allow for the necessary transfer of information to administer that claim
- assist your union/bargaining association to discharge its duties
HBT and HBT’s agents will restrict the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information and diagnostic medical Information to that which is necessary to satisfy the purposes set out above.
While respecting the confidential nature of your information, it is important to understand the legal limits to maintaining confidentiality. Your information would be released when:
- you have signed an Release of Information Authorization Form for another party (e.g., employer, lawyer, union, ICBC)
- there is legal involvement on a file; file information is released in response to a court order
As a Rehabilitation professional there are limits to confidentiality related to safety and preventing harm. Confidentiality is broken when:
- there are concerns you will harm yourself or others; your Rehabilitation Consultant will take action by providing information to appropriate parties
- there are indications of a child being abused or neglected; your Rehabilitation Consultant is required to contact the appropriate community agency to protect that child